As physicians who care for children and families, our mission is to keep our patients healthy and help them thrive.
With many students heading back to school soon (and some having already started classes), we know all too well what it’s like for families to navigate this changing season – and importantly, to try to stay healthy. Along with the excitement and energy that each new school year brings, this is also a time of exposure to all the viruses that we typically see during the colder months. This year, that includes colds, the flu, respiratory syncytial virus (or RSV) and COVID-19.
As families prepare for the year ahead, it’s important that children’s immune systems are also prepared to detect and resist viruses so that they can stay healthy and thrive. Just like how software updates to your phone or computer keep things in working order, vaccines help your body’s immune system work better. We also know that when everyone can access recommended immunizations on time, it stops preventable diseases from spreading through our communities.
Vaccines are one of the greatest medical advances in history. Thanks to widespread immunization, we have eradicated or controlled many diseases that once caused pain, suffering and even death for countless children – from smallpox and polio to tetanus and measles. Plus, when children stay healthy and free of such debilitating diseases, they can succeed by staying in school and safely participating in activities like sports and other after-school programs. This continuity helps improve children’s social and emotional development and their entire quality of life.
Unfortunately, parents must currently try to find guidance about their child’s health in a sea of mis- and disinformation. In the age of social media, misinformation about many topics is rampant, and vaccines are no exception. We encourage everyone to seek information from a trusted source, like their family physician or pediatrician – the same way that we work together with parents to offer guidance on other important topics like healthy nutrition, injury prevention and so much more.
At that same time, we do need better ways to talk about vaccines, along with ways to help parents identify accurate sources of information that they can trust. We must also ensure that vaccines are widely available, easy to find and affordable to everyone.
Right now, the U.S. is lagging behind. In 2022, only 45.9% of children received a flu shot, down from 53.1% in 2019, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is compounded by research that showed a two-year decline in children receiving routine vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also concerning is CDC research showing that 8% of children had not had a well-child checkup within the last year – and that 6% didn’t have a doctor’s visit at all. A recent UNICEF report also shows 67 million children across the world missed out on one or more vaccinations over the last three years. These children are missing opportunities for immunizations as well as vital guidance on mental health, nutrition and other areas of child health and development.
These statistics are even more reason for parents, physicians and policymakers to ramp up vaccine education and ensure that children and their families can access vaccines and other routine medical care.
As physicians who care for families and who watch children grow up over many years, pediatricians and family physicians are well-positioned to help patients and their parents navigate challenges in getting vaccines. In addition to helping overcome barriers like lack of insurance or transportation, we can also serve as sources of accurate information. We can be a backstop against the rampant misinformation parents encounter in social media and a sounding board for their questions.
But physicians cannot do this alone. Policymakers must recognize the need to help families who qualify stay enrolled in Medicaid and to protect programs like the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which offers coverage for those who might not be eligible for Medicaid. We must expand the number of hospitals and clinicians who participate in the federally funded Vaccines for Children program, which today offers vaccines to nearly half the nation’s children. This program is critical because it helps ensure vaccine and health equity. And we must also ensure that physicians have the support they need to continue physically storing, administering and counseling families on vaccines.
In the end, we all share a collective responsibility to safeguard the health of our nation’s children and the health of the public. As your doctors, we know that we are all healthier when everyone is vaccinated.
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B | 《日报》全媒体记者薛利超 王岩 周莉 崔迪
今年以来，兴城市坚持实用导向、融合导向、需求导向，聚焦关心关注老年人、失业待业人员、新业态从业人员等特殊群体，精心打造“老年助餐店”“爱心驿站”“梦想起航‘孵化巢’”，丰富城市党建服务“微载体”，让基层治理不仅有招法，更有温度。
“小驿站”蕴藏“大温暖”
党建引领让新就业群体融入城市家园
走进宁远街道河畔社区爱心驿站，“家”的感觉扑面而来，这里环境干净整洁、温暖舒适。休息座椅、微波炉、饮水机、医疗急救包、工具箱、报刊书籍等设施用品一应俱全，为环卫工人、外卖员、快递员等户外工作群体及过往群众提供免费服务。
C | 大家可以来这里喝水、充电、休息、阅览图书，从“小微”贴心服务做起，打造群众身边的“便民休息圈”。外卖员吴晓宇是驿站的“常客”，进门便熟练地坐到靠墙的座椅上给手机充电，“这里是我的‘紧急充电站’，以前送餐的时候可没这好地方，现在这儿不仅可以给手机充电，还可以给饭加热，自己也能休息一下，方便多了。”
目前，兴城市结合快递小哥、外卖骑手活动轨迹等重点区域，按照就近就便原则，利用社区党群服务中心场地建设爱心驿站6处，让更多的户外劳动者有需求时能够找到驿站、找到组织，解决他们的“小事情”“小难题”。
E | 李辰感激地说，“多亏了社区的帮助，让我的生活又回到了正常轨道，心情敞亮多了。”
兴城市集合社区、街道力量与市委组织部、市人社局、市就业中心、市人才中心和辖区企业联系，开展联合招聘会，组建社区就业信息微信群，及时将就业信息精准推送，对辖区内“零就业”家庭进行帮扶，为6名居民找到了工作岗位。
把党组织的作用发挥好，把老百姓的需求解决好，是破解基层治理难题的关键。创新工作思路、丰富工作内容，以各具亮点的党建服务“微载体”打造，有效激发基层治理“红色效能”，让特殊群体感受到实实在在的温暖和关怀，使兴城市服务特殊群体举措更具体，更有“力量”和“温度”。接下来，兴城市将结合“我为群众办实事”“幸福新社区创建”等活动，进一步完善养老服务体系，优化新就业群体服务体系，健全就业帮扶体系，全面提升基层服务水平，实现城市建设成果人人共享，不断增强人民群众的获得感、幸福感、安全感。
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